Phebe Damon Risley was born 1753 in East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut to Benjamin Damon (1723-1807) and Mercy Palmer (c1725) and died 10 October 1833 Terrytown, Westchester County, New York of unspecified causes.
Biography
Son of Nathaniel & Ruth Cadwell Risley. Revolutionary Soldier. Married 1774 in Somers, CT to Phebe Damon, father of Benjamin, Jonathan Jr, Elisha, Elizur, Eleazer, Lovisa & Sylvester. Settled in Brookfield in 1792.
1792 Move to Brookfield
Gravestone of Phebe Damon Risley at Terrytown Cemetery.
Jonathan and Phebe settled at Brookfield, Madison County, NY in 1792,where they were first settlers. She may not have known of her father's passing.
Jonathan obtained title to a large tract of land from the state. At this time the land was located in an unbroken forest, 25 miles from nearest grist-mill. Here he built a log house, which was soon afterwards replaced by a large frame house, which is now a barn still standing (in 1909) on the Winthrop Allen farm in the north-western portion of the town of Brookfield. The farm remained in the family for more than a century. Two brothers, Ward and Jerry, located in the immediate neighborhood of Jonathan. Ward erected a frame house, in which he lived a few years and then returned to Conn. Jeremiah lived and died in Brookfield.
Research Notes
For the descendants of Jonathan Risley (220 DRR) the identity of his wife Phebe had long been a question that had gone unanswered. In the Risley Family History, 1909 Edwin H. Risley Stated: Jonathan married"Phoebe Deming in 1773, h. 1753; d. Oct 10, 1833. Phoebe Deming was a lineal descendant of John Deming who was one of the persons named in the Connecticut charter of Charles 11 of England." This statement has been proved to be incorrect. Phebe was a Damon or Daman with no relationship to John Deming of Wethersfield, Connecticut.
There was another Phoebe Risley in the family, but she could not be confused for Jonathan's spouse. She was Phoebe (Bills) Risley born July 24, 1761, a daughter of John and Irene (Swetland) Bills, who married Jonathan's first cousin, Elijah Risley Sr [215 DRR] in 1779,they lived at Fredonia, NY.
Marriage & Family
All children were baptized in the First Congregational Church of East Hartford CT, except for Sylvester, who was born in Brookfield NY.
Lovisa Risley died at age 11 in 1801 and is buried near her parents at the Terrytown Cemetery.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Elisha Risley (1779-1853) | 22 December 1779 East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 23 April 1853 Brookfield, Madison County, New York | Elizabeth Smith (1778-1860) |
| Elizur Risley (1779-1841) | 22 December 1779 East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 13 September 1841 Brookfield, Madison County, New York | Amelia Matson (1781-1868) |
| Lovisa Risley (1789-1801) | |||
| Chancey Risley (1792-1812) | |||
| Jonathan Risley (1777-1827) | |||
| Benjamin Risley (1774-1830) | |||
| Silvester Risley (1797-1855) | |||
| Ebenezar Risley (1787-1858) | |||
| Hannah Risley (1783-1872) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Son Damon (1744-) | |||
| Hannah Damon (1748-1771) | |||
| Phebe Damon (1753-1833) | 1753 East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut | 10 October 1833 Terrytown, Westchester County, New York | Jonathan Risley (1749-1813) |
| Ruth Damon (1754-1802) | |||
| Hepzibah Damon (1760-) | |||
| Mary Damon (1763-) | |||
Vital Records
1774 CT Marriage Record
"Phebe Deman, m. Jonathan Risley, both of Hartford,April 25, 1774, by Thomas Pitkin, of Bolton, Conn." We now knew for afact she was from Hartford, that there had to be a Deman, Damon, or Daman family living there. Indeed there was, the vital records of Hartford record the marriage of Benjamin Dammon of Hartford, married to Mercy Palmer of Windham November 5th 1740, and the birth of a son in 1744, but, no mention of a daughter. Additionally, the ear mark for the creatures of Benjamin Daman Jr were entered Dec 6, 1749.
1899 Waterville Times
The edition published on 18 Aug 1899 of The Waterville Times describes a big service project to refurbish The Terrytown Cemetery and lists the important people buried there. It includes Jonathan and Phebe in the third row of graves and lists him as a Revolutionary Soldier.
So far I've found no other source to confirm or elaborate on his service in the Revolutionary War.
References
- The Risley Family History - Free on Google Books (publ Grafton Press in 1909) - Pg 76 - Jonathan Risley. Incorrectly states wife as Phebe Deming, It should be Phebe Damon.
- Elisha Risley Immigrant Ancestors